Oven temperature guide:

Cake tin sizes:

As a rule of thumb, a square tin holds about 25% more than a round tin of the same size. If you’re using a square tin for a round tin recipe, keep the temperature the same, and turn the cake during baking, as the corners tend to cook faster than the middle.

Solid/liquid and gram to oz conversion:

Calculating icing/sugarpaste/fondant rolled size guide

When rolling out sugarpaste (fondant) icing, marzipan or similar; more is better. This guide assumes that the cake pan size/recipe has the most common size of a 3″ depth.

Cake baking times

The chart below is a guide only to assist with approximate temperatures and baking times when upscaling cake batter. Adjust times for fan assisted ovens (remove 20°C from amounts below or look at the temperature conversion guide above).

Upscaling cake recipe quantities

This chart helps down and upscale cake recipe quantities and assumes that the recipe you are using is the most common size/shape, which is an 8 inch (20cm) round cake and 3 inch (7.5cm) deep. For square cakes, use the round quantities below and deduct 1 inch from the round cake chart, or alternatively, see the cake tin sizes chart above.

Unfortunately there isn’t a standard rough conversion between cups and grams as one size doesn’t fit all. For example, 1 cup of flour is 125g, and 1 cup sugar is 225g. To make it easier to understand, imagine 1 cup full of feathers next to 1 cup full of sugar – if you emptied them out on a scale, they’re not going to weigh the same are they? It’s the same principal here, different ingredients weigh differently.

However, they now sell measuring cups at all the supermarkets I’ve visited here in the UK. So instead of converting, it’s easier to invest in some cup measurements. I’ve seen them priced between £2-4 for a metal set, or cheaper for a plastic set (and even cheaper on eBay!) I’d definitely recommend investing in some, they come in very handy when working from US or Australian recipes too.

Hi,
Ok so I’m not math savvy and can’t seem to get conversions right.
I’m doing a 3 tier, 3 layer square wedding cake (10, 12 & 14″ square) I have a wonderful recipe that I’ll be using but am unsure about the amounts. Your conversion was far easier them most I’ve come across
Your conversion chart, is that only for a single layer? I’m doing a 3 layer.

A British cake recipe I plan on baking calls for the use of a “deep 20 cm round cake tin.” Can you please advise me on what US equivalent size and depth round cake pan to use? I need to know the diameter of the pan as well as the depth, both in INCHES instead of cm. please! Many thanks.

The 20cm cake pan is 8-inches. You can find the cm to inch conventions right here on this page. As for the depth, the normal depth here is the same as in the US (and can also be found here on this page) at around 3-inch.

There isn’t much of a difference from our cake pans to yours other than ours being in centimetres. Regarding needing a ‘deep’ pan, that means not to use one of the shallow ‘sandwich’ pans.

Could you please tell me if 1 cup of granulated sugar is the same as caster sugar. My receipe says 3/4 cup sugar. Also is plain flour and self raising flour the same measurement 1 cup = 125g Thank you so much, your measurements are very helpful.

Hi. Yes, the volume to weight conversion is the same for granulated sugar and caster sugar. It’s the same for plain (all-purpose) flour to self-raising flour too. 🙂 Thankfully that makes life easier! 🙂

I’m working on getting more ingredient conversions up on the blog soon, including ¼, ⅓, ¼, ¾, and ⅔, but I listed the basics in full cups.If you need the in-depth weight values now, it’s easy to just divide.

Hi Alka, The ingredients totally depend on what type of cake you want to bake. For example, the flour weights change if you’re doing chocolate, vanilla, and some cakes have less flour because they use milk or buttermilk, etc. Since you didn’t specify what type of cake you want to bake, I can’t really give you a definite answer.

Hi. I have had a couple of disasters trying to bake a cake for my daughters birthday, and have time for one more crack tonight so wanted to get some advice please.
It is a recipe for an 8″ round cake, but I need a rectangular one of 12″ x 6″. The original recipe calls for baking at 180 for 30-33mins.

I have increased the quantity by 50% and baked at the same temperature for the same time. The cake looks done and slightly browning on top so removed so as not to burn. Cake skewer comes out clean. However, cake is stodgy and dense and only good for the bin.

I have now realised I did not reduce the temperature to account for using a fan oven, which I understand should be a drop of 20 degrees. Do you think this might be the only problem? Trying to be sure as hervparty is tomorrow and trying to make princess cake to go with the theme, and if it gies wrong again tonight we’ll end up with something from Tesco! If it makes a difference, I’m making a three tier with two cakes baked together in a multisize tin, then one in it’s own.

Hi Dan, Sorry i wasn’t able to answer this in time for your daughter’s birthday. I hope you were able to resolve your issue and she had a lovely cake (and day!)

I will try and answer your questions just in case these issues ever arise again in the future. However, without being there with you when you bake it, I can’t say for sure so these tips are just a possible guide to your issues.

First of all, a dense cake usually happens when the mixture has been overworked. I’m not sure what recipe you’re using (it could very well be the recipe itself), but usually when I’m making a cake I’ll cream the butter and sugar(s) together until super light and fluffy (very, very pale in colour – around 3-5 minutes), then I’ll add the eggs, one at a time, and beat well after each addition. If the mixture starts to curdle after adding the eggs, this could be a problem, just add a tablespoon of the flour in to help. Then sift the flour (and any other dry ingredients, depend on recipe) in and only beat on slow until JUST come together. If you’re beating on high, you’re knocking all the air out you worked so hard to incorporate in. Another reason for dense cake may be be not enough raising agents. If you’re using self-raising flour or baking powder, make sure it’s used within 3 months as the raising agents fade over time.

Stodgy cakes can happen if you leave the cake in the pan too long after baking. Condensation can build up inside the cake and make it stodgy. I remove my cakes from the pan around 20-30 minutes after finished baking.

I don’t think the oven temperature was to blame as you said the skewer came out clean. To be honest, I don’t usually reduce my own temperature on my cakes by 20 degrees for a fan oven as I have an oven thermometer in my oven so I know I’m always getting an accurate temperature. If you find your cakes are browning more than they should with a fan oven, I would definitely reduce the temperature. Each oven varies quite a lot.

Hi Annette! Gosh, who writes recipes stating .055lb? That’s odd to say the least. Definitely NOT one of my recipes!

However, I Googled this and calculated that .055 of a pound converts to 30 grams, which I know from experience with my mug cakes is 2 tablespoons (well, technically it’s 28g, but close enough, right?), or 1 ounce. or ⅛ of a cup.

My daughter is baking her own wedding cake. She has experimented with several recipes, testing for flavor and freezability. She now knows which cake she’ll bake, but not how to convert to wedding cake volume. Is there a formula she can use?

Hi Kate, As I don’t know anything about the recipe your daughter has ended up with, or what size cake that recipe yields, there’s no way in which I can help with that information.

However, most cake recipes yield an 8″ cake, so if that’s the case with the recipe your daughter is using, you should be able to use the up scaling chart above to help upscale the recipe to whichever size cakes your daughter wants.

Hello
Thanks for your post
I need help with the measurement
I always make sponge cake for tres lache cake . But every time it comes different , sometimes falls or sink or comes perfect
I need exact ingredients for a 14″ by 14″ cake pan one layer cake
Pleasssssse

Hi Lisa,
My Traditional fruit cake recipe calls for a round 22cm (9″) tin but as I need to use a square tin (for cutting into gift size pieces for 50 people).
Will the temperature and cooking time stay the same for the square tin (I’ve reduced the tin to 8″) as the round tin recipe?
I cannot find a recipe on line for a traditional fruit cake that uses a square cake tin.
Thank you from Australia

I am new to baking ang have found a wonderful French sponge cake on you tube that requires two 10″ round pans, and I am wanting to use 2 8″ pans I have noted that you have suggested that the cooking time is the same, but how do I decrease the ingredients? Or do I just make it as suggested and throw away what is left over? Also, I appreciate this is probably a hard question, but the cake I have seen is white how much cocoa powder would you suggest adding to the two 8 ” cake trecipe, and any extra fluid.? Thanks.

Hi good morning can i ask how to bake a 9×3 size,6×3 size and 12×3 size cake,,,can you send me how to measure and how many can each ingredients needed to it,.? Thanks for replying i need it badly,..please,.

Hi, I have to bake a rectangular cake of 30cm × 50cm ×6cm, can you possibly tell me by how many times I would have to multiply a normal 20cm round cake recipe for it to fill the tin? Also how long shoul it bake then?

Hi Lezley, It really depends on what type of cake you are making. Some recipes call for shallow ‘sandwich’ type pans which have a depth of 4cm.

Other recipes might call for a deeper pan, these vary in depth from around 2-3 inches, or specialist pans with a 4 inch depth from cake decorating stores.

The method/directions should give you some insight. Does it tell you to split the batter into 2 (or more pans), or to dump all the batter into one tin and to cut it later?

The amount of batter should give you some insight too, and you’ll get better at eyeballing this as you go. You should only fill cake pans half to ¾ full to allow for rising.

I’d advise investing in some 8 inch sandwich pans and some 8 inch 2-3 inch depth pans to start with. They are the most used size. Sainsbury’s have some really nice sandwich pans – not the super cheap ones, but their high end 10 year guarantee ones are very good.

Hi i have a recipe that is for 2-9 inch cakes and i’m make a 3 tier wedding cake that is 6”,9”, and 12”. Can i use this chart for my other 2 tiers? for the 6” do i cut the recipe in half and for the 12” would i do 2 1/2 times the recipe?

Hi Lisa!!!
I have a cake recipe that is great for 9″ rounds, but I need to convert it into a 10″ SQUARE. By your charts and my calculations, does this mean I can safely double my ingredients as well as whisk time? Ex: 30 secs instead of 15, 2 min instead of 1. If you need the recipe I can list it. I’m also wondering if I should just make 2 batters & pour them both into the 10″ square instead, I’m scared. 😂

The calculation is assumed that the recipe is an 8-inch round. As the recipe you are using is 9-inch round, I wouldn’t double the recipe. I think you would need 1½ times the recipe. The whisking time you need to play by ear, and adjust the baking time also.

Good morning, i am baking a 12″ round cake – 790g of flour, sugar and butter, 7 tsp baking powder and 14 eggs. I baked this on 140 fan but it came out burnt around the edges and runny in the middle. I baked this again and the same happened. Ive never had a problem baking cakes but for some reason this 12″ cake is coming out like this. Could you give me any advice please. Many thanks.

I believe you need to lower your oven temperature first to prevent burning the edges.
Then increase the oven time in increments of five to ten minutes , checking every five minutes after the first ten.

I just discovered your blog and I’m thrilled! I’ve been a fan of GBBO and I understand the conversions, except for one. I’ve never seen anyone WEIGH milliliters of liquids. I saw your chart, but does that apply to all viscosities of liquids? Is there any advantage to weighing liquids vs. measuring? If I have a scale that already weighs grams, is that OK, or should I try to find a scale that weighs in ml too, just so I don’t have to stick your conversion chart on the wall? Thanks in advance.

Hi Kristi, So sorry for the delay in responding (long story short, I lost access and couldn’t login). Anyway, I’m assuming you mean this solids to liquids chart here, right?

If so, it’s in fluid millilitres (ml) and fluid oz (fl. oz). On the left, it’s shows you the solids weight conversions from grams (g) to ounces (oz). Then, on the right, it shows the fluid conversions from millilitres to fluid ounces. We tend to use millilitres here in the U.K., but the USA prefers fluid ounces – the chart is to help with either weight grams to ounce conversions, and fluid millilitres to fluid ounces. I hope that makes sense?

And yes, you are correct about viscosity. The only thing that transfers in weight to fluids is water. So, for example, 250ml of water will equal 250g of weight. I hope that helps.

I intend to downsize a recipe for a 10 inch bundt pan to fit a 8 inch bundt pan, since I don’t have the 10 inch pan,..
Can your area fourmula for round pans used for upsizing or down sizing Bundt pan cakes ? Thank you.

Your conversion chart is the easiest one l have seen, thank you. I am going to try and make a 12″, 10″ and 8″ cake for my Granddaughters christening. I have made two 10″ ones and both thrown out as they were flat and not risen at all. I did the 8 oz recipe and added 2 ozs more of ingredients, did not work. Will try your recipe now and fingers crossed they are ok. Otherwise l have no idea what l will do

Hi , I want to make a bday cake for my daughter and love my white cake recipe that makes batter for three 8” pans that bake for about 25min at 375…but I want to bake in two ten inch pans… what is the conversion for batter and baking temp/time.

Hi Arianna. If your recipe makes 3 lots of 8-inch batter, I’d divide that by 3 to get the ingredients needed for 1x 8-inch cake. Then you can follow the conversion chart for 1 cake, then double the ingredients to equal 2x 10-inch cakes. The temperature difference can be found here.

This would be easier to do if your recipe is in weight, rather than volume (cup measurements). Good luck and happy baking.

Hi ,
I’m really not the greatest at maths!
I’m trying to make a 4 layer round cake in 9” pans but the recipe I have is for 4 layer 8” cake pans I made it using the same ingredients but only used 3 of my 9” pans but I would have liked for it to be taller so I want to use 4 9” cake pans I know
It says you should multiply the ingredients by 1 1/4 so does that mean for every single ingredient include eggs vanilla extract etc or just the flour and sugar ? And could you give me a method of how I would multiply I am really dumb at maths like for example if I need to use 500g or flour do i add another 125g?

The easiest way to do it is to take an ingredient such as flour let’s take your example of 500g) and divide by 4 = 125g. So you would need to add an additional 125g – you were correct.

I received a few comments from you and I saw in one you were mentioning how to ¼ an egg. There’s a couple of ways to do this depending on how precise you want to be, LOL.

The easiest method is to crack open an egg in a cup, beat it until egg and yolk are combined. Then divide it in half, and then divide the half again to get ¼.

Or, if you’re a perfectionist, add a cup on top of scales and tare the scales so they’re at 0. Then crack the egg open in a cup and note the weight of the egg. Then divide that number by 4. So for example, if your egg weighs 50g, you would need 13g of egg. Again, beat the egg before so you’re not just getting just egg white.